My research interests are in functional and ecological morphology of feeding in fishes, as well as the evolution of functional adaptations for feeding. My graduate students work on anatomical, ecomorphological, functional morphological, biomechanical, or behavioral projects involving feeding in bony fishes, sharks, and rays.  Most of my past research has been on tropical reef fishes and sharks. Some of this research has focused on the interaction between functional morphology, behavior and ecology. The goal of my current research is an understanding of the comparative functional morphology of the feeding mechanisms in elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays), the relationship of functional morphology to their feeding behavior, and the evolution of feeding mechanisms in sharks and rays. 
            Sharks and rays present a unique opportunity to investigate the function and evolution of feeding systems in fishes and aquatic vertebrates. Sharks share a common ancestor with early bony fishes. From the early piscine feeding mechanism the amphibians and later amniote vertebrates evolved and modified their feeding mechanisms. The unquestionable evolutionary success of the elasmobranchs is in part due to a diversity of feeding mechanisms within this group of vertebrates, a group which dates back over 400 million years. Compared to the many morphological, physiological and behavioral studies of feeding in bony fishes, however, relatively less is known about the function and evolution of feeding mechanisms in elasmobranchs.
            My graduate students and I utilize a variety of techniques to understand feeding mechanisms in fishes as diverse as billfish, goliath grouper, sharks and rays. These techniques include: anatomical dissection, CT scans, biomechanical modeling, electromyography, high speed digital video photography, pressure and bite force measurement, underwater video photography, animal tracking, and evolutionary character mapping to unravel historical changes.  Our lab is currently investigating feeding in the bull, blacktip, nurse, hammerhead and whale sharks, numerous species of batoids, barracuda, billfishes, and goliath grouper. We have helped to elucidate the anatomy and functional morphology of the feeding mechanism in these sharks and rays, the behavior and kinematics (movement patterns) of prey capture, related bite force to jaw morphology, tested some of the functions of jaw protrusion, studied the evolution and function of jaw suspension types in sharks and rays, tested for modulatory abilities during prey capture (the ability to change or modify feeding patterns with different prey types), investigated ontogenetic patterns in prey capture kinematics and morphology, studied tooth structure and cutting biomechanics, discussed the evolution of their jaw mechanisms, and investigated movement patterns of elasmobranchs and bony fishes Past applied research involved an analysis of bite patterns of sharks and bony fishes on submarine towed arrays and material testing of underwater hoses and their ability to resist puncture by bony fishes and sharks, as well as mechanical testing of aquaculture netting material and its shark bite resistance. Our research is funded by the National Science Foundation, NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service MARFIN, The Porter Family Fund, and has been featured on numerous documentaries including those of Animal Planet, Discovery Television, National Geographic Television, and The Daily Planet. visi

on, and The Daily Planet.